When closed, the closures include the named rock formations and the areas surrounding the base of the formation. This includes all climbing routes, outcroppings, cliffs, faces, ascent and descent routes, and climber's access trails to the formation.

Areas not listed above are presumed to be open. These closures will be lifted or extended as conditions dictate.

Description

Begin up around the corner to the left from the start of Melvin's Wheel at a prominent, left-angling crack.

P1 Climb the crack (and the face below it 5.7) for about 40 feet until it is possible to do a steep move or two up to the right (5.8) and around the corner onto the face. Work into and up a left-facing corner and belay.

P2 Climb up to the ancient bolt, and then head up the slab a bit. I got a couple decent but not totally bomber TCUs in a flaring crack. Then, with your feet at the level of the TCUs, work right across the slab (5.9) and into an easy crack system. Follow this all the way up to the large ledge. Move the belay over to the bottom of the obvious steep chimney.

P3 Climb up past a severely mangled fixed pin and into the chimney. Squeeze past the bottom of the wide slot on the left to a stance, the step right across the chimney to a great finger crack. Stem and finger lock your way up to the roof, which is passed on the left side. Continue to the bolted rap anchor (around the corner to the left at the top).

P3 is a fantastic, steep, and intimidating lead. Solid for the grade, strenuous, and fun. Mix this with the Original Fantasy Ridge to bypass the dicey 5.9 on P2.

13 Comments

Matt - the bolted rap anchor is a bit hidden. As the climbing eases up on P3 of J&T, you enter a large chasm/chimney area. Go to the back of the chasm, then climb 5.0 up the wall on the left to a dramatic notch looking NW. The bolted rap anchor is on the north facing wall of this notch, and requires an easy but exposed step-down move to access. FYI with some extension, you can easily belay your follower up P3 using this anchor.

One can rap to third class terrain with a single 70m, but the pull is notorious for getting ropes stuck. It's better to stop at an intermediate anchor at about 80ft, then rap again to the ground.

As for P3 of J&T - bad ass! The rock quality isn't as good as Conads, but traffic has cleaned this up to be a must-do for the grade. You can access P3 by scrambling up the rappel gully and climbing a short 5.7ish corner on the right to the alcove at its base.
Oct 12, 2017

We were unsuccessful in navigating the descent described. Found anchors at summit, but they're nowhere near where you naturally finish the last (stem) pitch. Scrambled up the choss ribs to a tree right in front of the top-most giant boulder stack. ~ 15' rap to saddle. We walked ~ 100-150' E down to a block slung with several good looking cord & webbing slings right behind a tree. 2 rope rapped down passed terrain that can be navigated on foot but really sucks. From there, a chill scramble back to base of the wall and back up to J&T.

Looked a long time for rap rings described that are supposed to take you W and right back down to J&T. ??
Oct 4, 2017

Classic route. I climbed this route today and avoided the 5.9 R climbing by continuing up the initial crack system of P1 (instead of climbing out right onto the arete and L-facing corner) and belayed after 120' or so of climbing. I followed Sidewinder's 2nd pitch which was pleasant, albeit a bit grassy, to the ledge system below the chimney. 3rd pitch is phenomenal. The R rated climbing is easily avoidable and all in all still clocks in somewhere around 5.9....
Jul 25, 2016

3rd pitch protects a lot better than it looks from the bottom. No need for big gear, there is a good pin scar that takes a bomber offset nut and a bomber TCU which will protect you (below your feet) for the step across to the jams on the RHS of the crack.
Jun 14, 2016

Following Luke's line, you can barely get all the way from the ground to the flat talus field below the chimney in 1 pitch with a 70m rope (placing sparse pro with long runners through the easy parts at the start), making it a 2 pitch route.
Jul 6, 2014

One of the beta photos incorrectly depicts the first and second pitch. The narrative description gives the best option. Move right out out of the slanting crack at about 30 feet above the ground and on to the face. You can continue up the wide slanting crack through short brushy sections but then you would miss the bolted slab. I have done it both ways and the slab is not to be missed (while the bushes are). My 2 cents.
Aug 14, 2011

Bit o' beta: You can protect P3 with #3 Camalot & smaller, double #1 & #2 are useful, unless you brought hexes. Feet to the big, sloping ledge before you move to the R crack. It's not nearly as hard as it looks. Definitely fun & worth the effort.

I climbed this route again and found if the chimney is climbed using chimneying (sp?) technique a couple of hands free rests can be had, and it was much less stressful than the 1st time climbing it as a slab/crack. The section of the climb mentioned is above the climber in the photo.
Jun 30, 2005

The ancient bolt has been replaced by a nice new one. I felt pretty good about the pro in the flaring crack above the bolt on P2. However, by the time I traversed right I was 10 feet above it-yikes! P3 for the second is a gas. Punching in gear on lead was pretty pumpy for my leader. Both of us felt P3 was .9. P2 was much easier. I really liked this route!
Jun 20, 2005

Much has already been said about P2 on the Fantasy Ridge page; I'll only add that the cam placements in the crack above the bolt seemed solid. You can get blue, green AND yellow Aliens in the same crack. Yes, I plugged in all three.

P3 is a fantastic crack pitch. Steep and sustained with great pro. This pitch is pushing 5.9, IMO.
Jun 14, 2004